tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post3412512009287512353..comments2023-10-04T07:56:09.315-04:00Comments on Greenish Thumb: Dear sister: here's what's so fulfillingWendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04232693432045335251noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-84501391868719026902013-08-11T00:28:48.163-04:002013-08-11T00:28:48.163-04:00Andrea - I realize I'm replaying about...3 1/2...Andrea - I realize I'm replaying about...3 1/2 years later... I just happened upon this post and read it again! Anyway, the squash is butternut squash. It's made up of a dryish orange flesh, a pumpkiny kind of squash. You're thinking of the Chinese bottle gourds, which fully dry and hollow out in the center. Those are the auspicious gourds and the ones people make into bird houses and such. Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04232693432045335251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-17825712458008144642010-02-06T14:34:48.568-05:002010-02-06T14:34:48.568-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-9208064372078930142010-01-18T20:23:49.086-05:002010-01-18T20:23:49.086-05:00Hi Wendy, i am late in seeing this but am fascinat...Hi Wendy, i am late in seeing this but am fascinated. How do you call those sexy white gourds? Butter squash? I see them in Chinese stores but already old and painted supposed to be like an auspicious symbol for being healthy, forgot now how they call it. How i wish i can grow them here also, i am sure it can be grown in the tropics. <br /><br />Thank you.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06044386271018560595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-21542152558942518782010-01-18T20:23:45.871-05:002010-01-18T20:23:45.871-05:00Hi Wendy, i am late in seeing this but am fascinat...Hi Wendy, i am late in seeing this but am fascinated. How do you call those sexy white gourds? Butter squash? I see them in Chinese stores but already old and painted supposed to be like an auspicious symbol for being healthy, forgot now how they call it. How i wish i can grow them here also, i am sure it can be grown in the tropics. <br /><br />Thank you.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06044386271018560595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-60291766627446705422009-10-19T01:22:52.428-04:002009-10-19T01:22:52.428-04:00Love this! Great explanation about why gardening ...Love this! Great explanation about why gardening takes when other things don't. I've certainly become more appreciative of both bugs and vegetables over the years. Spiders used to send me screaming. Now, as long as it isn't a cane spider, I will actually move them out of my house and into my garden. Cane spiders still send me screaming!Dreamybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03274518106482632672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-57415793874928816462009-10-17T21:08:04.855-04:002009-10-17T21:08:04.855-04:00It sounds like I am reading my own life story, fro...It sounds like I am reading my own life story, from the peas and the only one at the table to the bugs,sweat and adding on to my gardens. Are you sure we weren't separated at birth? Too funny. I can't explain it either. Gardening just does it for me to spite the things I hate out there. <br />ps. you forgot to mention gnats!Teresahttp://blog.gardenshoesonline.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-22835506760146418332009-10-17T15:09:41.982-04:002009-10-17T15:09:41.982-04:00Our obsession keeps us "working out" lon...Our obsession keeps us "working out" long after those who have laid down cash for gym memberships have abandoned their step classes. Ever notice how many old, fit gardeners turn up in magazine interviews? Maybe we have discovered the fountain of youth.ricki - sprig to twighttp://bannersbyricki.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-82377363452143995502009-10-17T11:47:18.904-04:002009-10-17T11:47:18.904-04:00We do have reasons to get down and play with dung ...We do have reasons to get down and play with dung and hoe..... Satisfying, fulfilling, soothing, relaxing.... hmmm. endless list. Our second son acquire the taste for vegetables only after he passed his teenage days... huh! You are not alone Wendy.. haha. ~bangchikBangchik and Kakdahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12539360678677230463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-39853460957371502112009-10-17T07:38:44.393-04:002009-10-17T07:38:44.393-04:00Hi Wendy, we gardeners understand and experience t...Hi Wendy, we gardeners understand and experience the fulfillment you talk about. I wonder if your sister understands? I have quite a few friends, who are tolerant of my passion but who couldn't think of anything worse - or even dangerous - than exposing themselves to dirt, sweat and bugs like we do. The only bugs I truly hated were vine weevils which infested the garden one summer. I used to spend hours at night picking them off one by one and drowning them - same as Lynn's method. cheers, catmintSue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-60105991665682761992009-10-16T10:32:31.246-04:002009-10-16T10:32:31.246-04:00First, a big CONGRATS to your wonderful looking ha...First, a big CONGRATS to your wonderful looking harvest there, Girl! Thost beautiful squash would win ribbons in the County Fair!<br />Second, I'm glad your sis' email encouraged this wonderful post! <br /><br />I'm surprised, though, learning of your long dislike list of veggies...hopefully that will improve as you grow more of your own (like the purple asparagus) and had to laugh at your secret of getting the kids to eat their veggies...lol!<br /><br />I can't EVER forget your previous mentioned phobia of butterflies but these bugs I can relate. Hate the stinkbugs and grubs myself. I always have a bottle of water near me (death by drowning) when I come across them! And the sight of a snake will have me in hiding for days!<br /><br />Lastly, Wendy, your desire to beautiful your garden (like that huge project!) and the research you put into learning about gardening is what really impresses me! <br /><br />That front bed is looking awesome! If you're like me, every year, each bed gets larger and larger..lol.<br /><br />I always feel great after an accomplished day in the garden...sweatty, dirty and all! Keep it up ;)<br /><br />Let's see a pic of your sis' cute Emmy!<br />Lynnlynn'sgardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09104383899991317740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-69052536948670441312009-10-15T10:05:40.413-04:002009-10-15T10:05:40.413-04:00I find gardening very fulfilling because I get to ...I find gardening very fulfilling because I get to see the results of my efforts. I'll be so happy to see the plants that I grow and nurture start to bloom and bear fruits. Unlike our babies, they do not talk back at us. Plants gives me so much happiness when they are growing but when plants die, I am sad but I do not need to grief because soon I can plant another similar one. Sometimes, a person needs to work alone and in silence with the things that we like in order to find true peace and relaxation. The reward is definitely worth all the sweat.Autumn Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00818422090556602092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-32509537511318253732009-10-15T09:32:48.983-04:002009-10-15T09:32:48.983-04:00I could have written this post myself. I am not a ...I could have written this post myself. I am not a veggie eater, but growing my own has convinced me to try some new things and - surprise! - some of those veggies are actually good! And some aren't but that's okay because my family still eats them. I was one of those kids sitting at the dinner table until bedtime too. <br /><br />And bugs! Ew! I still scream and run from wasps, of which have hundreds. But aside from that, we just ignore one another. My parents, having watched me shudder and run inside with tears streaming, are fascinated by my love for gardening. I'm now able to stand in the garden with crickets hopping all around my feet and remain calm. :-)<br /><br />Gardening is definitely a good way to grow, isn't it?Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02821307241859156967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-20070328249335539962009-10-15T03:57:50.508-04:002009-10-15T03:57:50.508-04:00I hate those bugs too! I think no one could descri...I hate those bugs too! I think no one could describe these little horrible monsters as well as you have just did. You know waht, I too do not like vege when I as a kid ha ha... I remember they taste bitter (that's why I didn't take them!). Btw, your weekend harvest was marvellous. Love those chillies. I didn't know chillies could grow so well in temperate climate 'green thumbs' :-DStephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05867061279916535777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6102266899310858136.post-58877075402779283542009-10-15T01:44:50.850-04:002009-10-15T01:44:50.850-04:00Hi Wendy~~ Great post! I need to get a gel-bandana...Hi Wendy~~ Great post! I need to get a gel-bandana! <br /><br />I can ditto almost everything you said. And like your sister, I've wondered why gardening has stayed with me while other hobbies have faded into oblivion. Hobbies that were much easier, less expensive and with instant gratification. Gardening is none of those things but it's so addictive and rewarding. <br /><br />I'm not much of a veggie person either. Remember canned peas? I had a grandmother that loved to torture my siblings and me with those ghastly pseudo-foods. Child abuse! <br /><br />Bugs: Size matters. Any bug under say, a tenth of an inch is maybe a tiny bit cute. Anything over an inch is more frightening than bad news from the doctor. Grubs? I agree. Stealth little devils. <br /><br />And tearing out sod has got to be one of the worst gardening tasks. Your new project looks great now and a year from now, when the back breaking work is a distant memory, stand back!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com